But one of the key choices is what material to work with and here’s the case why oak might be the ideal building material for your project.
1. Appearance
One of the top reasons that people choose to build with oak is that it has an appearance that few other materials can match. Oak has a distinctive look and a rich colour but also has a stunning wood grain. This can be enhanced even more if the wood is quartersawn, giving that classy textured look. Oak can work well as a material for exposed beams or other elements of the room that you will see every day.
2. Long lasting
Many building materials have a lifespan and with oak, this is a very long one. Did you know there are over 500 varieties of oak around the world? All of them share three characteristics that have made them such a popular building material across the centuries – is very durable, strong and resistant to moisture. Few other kinds of wood can match oak for support beams or foundations and that’s why craftsmen have always favorited it.
Want to see this in action? Just look at the many buildings around the UK dating from the 1500s and earlier that are still strong and beautiful – and many of them feature oak in their construction.
3. Highly versatile
Wood is generally very versatile, and oak is no exception. It can be used for many purposes such as in the framework of the building, as roof beams and other structural elements. It can be used for decorative purposes were left exposed and looks amazing. But it can also be used inside the home for things such as cabinets and flooring.
Oak is used in shipbuilding, for example, because it is strong and resistant to rot, even when immersed in water. It doesn’t decay and isn’t attacked by pests such as insects or fungal attacks. The versatility and benefits that make it ideal for building ships also make it perfect for projects in and around the home.
4. Sustainable building material
As we all become more aware of our impact on the world, sustainable building materials are rising to the top of the demand list. Oak has been used for many centuries in buildings and this has led to some harvesting in non-sustainable ways, but great strides have been taken in this area to ensure renewable oak forests.
This is one of the reasons that oak is more expensive than some other building materials. It is a premium material for its benefits and also to ensure that future generations can also use oak in their homes. If you are considering oak, ensure it is recognized by bodies such as the FSC or PEFC and that it is from sustainable forests.
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5. Environmentally friendly
In addition to being sustainable when harvested correctly, oak is an environmentally friendly building material. Trees spend their whole life absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and oaks can do this for hundreds of year. Then if they are cut down and made into houses, these trap Co2 inside. Oak doesn’t take much processing, so carbon costs are low and there are no treatments or processing used that produces harmful chemicals in the way that brick or concrete do. So building with oak is also an environmentally friendly option using materials from a renewable source.
Image Credit: Pixabay
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